


Love, your Secret Admirer

by swanqueen_vauseman



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Feels, Happy Ending, Insecurity, Love Letters, snow and david being a pair of idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 08:19:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6321991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueen_vauseman/pseuds/swanqueen_vauseman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma starts receiving some love letters from a Secret Admirer, saying all these beautiful things. The only thing she's missing is that she wished her Secret Admirer was Regina. But such coincidence was impossible right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love, your Secret Admirer

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This was at first going to be included in "Swan Queen prompts" but resulted in a much longer one-shot so here it is. I hope you like it.
> 
> All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to OUAT.
> 
> On with the show.

Emma walked into the Sheriff's stations with a hot chocolate from Granny's in her right hand and a bearlcaw in the left one. Before she came to Storybrooke and discovered that all the fairytales she grew up with were real, she hadn't eaten such a thing as Granny's bearclaws and thank god for them.

Everything had been to say the least, complicated in the last few years. Her son that she had given away had found her, brought her to Storybrooke to break a curse she didn't believe in, discovered she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and somewhere between all of that, she had fallen for Regina, the former Evil Queen and the other mother of Henry.

True, their relationship hadn't been the best from the beginning but they had learned over time that it was better to cooperate for both of their sakes and that of Henry's and slowly but surely a tentative friendship had formed.

Today was Thursday, and that meant Dinner Night at Regina's. They had family dinners once a week and while she enjoyed spending time with Henry and with Regina, most of the time, unless she had to get up really early next day, she would stay for a glass of cider and spend the night talking about anything and everything. These were the nights where Emma had been slowly falling in love for Regina. Not that she would ever act on those feelings.

The friendship she had been forming with Regina was too valuable for her to lose it over some feelings, which she knew weren't returned. She preferred to be only friends than to lose Regina completely.

Thankfully, she didn't need to think more about that when she saw the stack of paper sitting on her desk. She groaned and threw her head back in annoyance. Sure, she loved Regina with all her might but the paperwork she said she required from the Sheriff was something she could do without.

She went to sit down on her chair and pretend that she was filling all the paperwork that needed to be filled but just as she was reaching for the first file, she saw an envelope with her name on it. Curiosity took the better of her and went on to read whatever was inside of it.

When she did, she couldn't remember any other moment in her life in which she had been that happy.

_Emma,_

_I don't know why I'm writing this or why I'm sending you this but I guess I'm just a little bit crazy and a little bit hopeful._

_I wanted to tell you that you have no idea how grateful I am that you are a part of my life and that, from what I've seen, you're a wonderful to Henry._

_Please always remember that and that I love you._

_Your Secret Admirer._

Emma felt her heart leap inside of her, because who could possibly love her and consider her a wonderful mother to Henry?

She had been practicing magic and as such, she sent the letter to the confinements of a box in her bedroom where she stored all her valuable stuff; even if by "valuable" stuff she considered only her baby blanket and now, the letter she just received.

But who might be this secret admirer? With that, the happy attitude that she had just had a few minutes ago, had turned into a frown, realizing that the possibilities of her Secret Admirer being Regina were almost none.

She then heard the clicking of heels against the floor and knew that the Mayor had come down for a visit and she couldn't keep her excitement concealed.

"I see that the budget for the Sheriff's station is paying off." Regina teased when she approached Emma, seeing that the blonde had done nothing than signed the first file without even filling it out. Regina smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes but with a playful smile on her face. "I'll have you know that I had every intention of finishing this today but the bearclaw was begging for my attention."

Regina chuckled. God, she had missed this, being carefree around a person. Just then, she started looking over the blonde's desk, as if she was looking for something that wasn't quite there. She allowed just for moment, that her face showed a bit of disappointment before putting back the smile she had had. Hoping that Emma hadn't notice it.

Emma looked at her curiously, because she knew Regina and had always been able to look through her and she had clearly see the look Regina gave but she knew better than to question it.

"So, to what do I owe the honor Madam Mayor?" Emma asked.

"I was wondering if we are still on for dinner tonight." Regina answered; to be honest, she already knew the answer, Emma had never missed a Diner Night ever since they started happening, she just needed an excuse of coming to see the Sheriff.

"Of course, I haven't missed any diner and I'm certainly not planning on missing one." Emma said with her characteristic goofy smile.

Regina returned that smile and allowed just a little bit more of hope inside of her. Maybe, just maybe.

"Are you going to make your famous lasagna? Because, just so you know, you make the best lasagna ever." Emma said.

Regina blushed a little at the compliment but she recovered her features quickly. "If that's what you and Henry want, I don't see why not."

"Good." Emma smiled before it faded, she didn't want Regina to leave but if she wanted to be at least to some extent productive that day, she would definitely need to leave. "I don't want you to leave, but if you don't, a certain Madam Mayor might just bother me endlessly until I finish the paperwork she wants." Emma teased and she was certain this could qualify as flirting.

Regina rolled her eyes but Emma could see the amusement on her face. "I'm sure she will. I'll se you tonight Emma."

The brunette said her goodbye and turned to leave. Emma watched her leave and couldn't help but wonder if this would always continue, the weekly diners and being a family with Henry and Regina. She might be the Sheriff and the Savior but inside, she was just the lost little girl that grew up in the system being told that she was not worth it.

Emma sighed. Hopefully, this would continue forever and ever.

A few months pass and each week, Emma received a letter from her Secret Admirer and each time Emma felt her heart flutter with warmth because someone was considering her worth it enough to send anonymous love letters. But it also conflicted her, because how is she going to tell her Secret Admirer, if she meets them, that she can't be with them because she loves Regina?

Really, it is a shitty situation because she can't be with someone because she loves another person even though that said person doesn't love her back.

She hadn't discussed these letters with Regina, not because they were exactly a secret but because if she did, she would have to somehow confess her love for the former Evil Queen and she can't risk ruining the friendship she has with Regina.

One day, she walked in to Granny's to meet with her parents because they wanted to talk to her about something, leaving a very confused and anxious Emma when they ended the call. She's always known that when someone wants to talk to you about something leaving in the dark what that something is, nothing good can come out of it.

Still, she had come to call Storybrooke a home, a place where she had met her parents, (no matter how weird it was that they were Snow White and Prince Charming and to top it off they were the same age as her), she had met the son she thought she would never see again and she had met Regina.

Entering Granny's, she saw her parents already seated in a booth with grins on both their faces but it didn't help to calm the dreading feeling she had about all of this. She glanced around the Diner and saw that there were a few people over there, one of them being Regina. She glanced to where Regina was sitting and gave her a small smile and mouthed a "hello" and Regina did the same.

She walked towards the booth and sat down, opposite to her parents.

"So, what's up?" Emma said as it was everyday business, even though she was a mess inside, her mind going crazy with all the possibilities of what her parents might tell her.

Mary Margaret was sporting a massive grin on her face, she looked briefly at David before meeting Emma's eyes. "We wanted to tell you that we're going to try to have a baby." Mary Margaret finally said.

Of all the things Emma had thought were a possibility, she had desperately hoped that this wasn't the one. She didn't miss the way that Mary Margaret didn't said another baby, she just said 'a baby'.

"Oh, that's… that's nice." Emma stammered and tried to fight back the tears in her eyes and she plastered a fake smile, on the hopes that her parents wouldn't notice her sudden change of mood.

"Yeah, we're hoping to have a new chance with all of this of being parent and everything else." David added, unaware of his daughter's fake smile.

"New chance?" Emma muttered; why did this conversation sounded so familiar? Oh yeah, because she had it after the first family when she was in the system sent her back.

"It's just that you're all grown up and well, being parents is something we always wanted to experience." Mary Margaret replied, oblivious to the way she was hurting her own daughter.

Emma should have known; she should've known that nothing lasts forever. And this sense of family she had finally found, she should've known it would sooner or later end.

"Yeah…" Emma said. "You know what guys? I have a lot of work at the station, so I'll see you later. Bye." Emma told her parents and she scurried away from the Diner, not bothering to listen to her parents' reply.

She was not even outside Granny's when she had to start wiping the tears before anyone saw her. She practically ran to the stations, because she couldn't go the loft, a place that she had called home but now, she didn't even know if she still belonged there or if her parents would want her out when they have the baby.

Emma sat down in her chair and broke into the sobs that were at the back of her throat since the moment Mary Margaret announced she wanted a new baby. Their words had hurt very deeply and opened a wound that she had began slowly began to heal when she came to Storybrooke. The wound that was opened in the system and that told her that she would never be enough; either because her parents had left her on the side of a highway, or because the couple was getting a new baby and they didn't want a child that wasn't biologically theirs or because she was too old to be adopted.

She lifted her head from her between her hands. She wiped the tears that were still lingering on her face and settle to work to keep her mind out of self-loathing thoughts. She would go back to the loft and enjoy what little time was left of her being part of that family. She thanked every deity that Henry was with Regina because he would surely notice her fake smile and she didn't really want to discuss all of her burden with her son.

Thankfully, she could focus on the paperwork and go back to the loft, opening the door and plastering one more time the fake smile she had been carrying ever since her parents told her that they wanted to be parents. Emma had thought they had finally found a way of being a family, no matter how weird it was that the three of them were the same age. Emma had thought that her parents still thought of her as her daughter, but she guessed not.

When she entered, Mary Margaret was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Still oblivious of what had happened at Granny's.

"Oh Emma, someone left a letter fro you. I put it in your bedroom." Mary Margaret told her upon seeing her enter the Charming's home.

"Thank you." Emma replied and went upstairs.

She entered her bedroom and looked at the letter that was lying on top of her bed, she sat down and opened the enveloped. It was the same font that she had come to known over the last few months. It made her smile, the first genuine smile of the day. She started reading the letter.

_Emma,_

_I saw you today at Granny's, not in the stalker kind of way but in the it-is-impossible-not-to-look-at-you kind of way. Anyways, I saw you sit with your parents and saw how your mood changed in a matter of seconds._

_Truthfully, I don't know how your parents didn't notice but I did and it made my heart ache watching you, because you don't deserve any kind of pain or sadness, you deserve the world Emma Swan._

_I don't know what your parents told you but when I saw you wipe your tears, all I wanted to do was comfort you, and if it was possible I would make it my mission to never let you feel any kind of pain._

_I promise you, that when I reveal myself and if you might actually want to be with me, I'll try with all my being not to ever hurt you, I'll try to make you make feel happy and loved and cared._

_Meanwhile, remember that I love you._

_Your Secret Admirer._

God, why couldn't this person, this Secret Admirer of hers be Regina? While the letter helped her a bit, she was starting again to fall back into the vicious circle of self-loathing. She needed someone to understand what it felt to be not enough, to be replaceable and she could only think of one person. Regina.

She sent a text to Regina, asking her if it was okay to come over for a bit. She guessed Regina could see the despair in Emma's text because there was an immediate affirmative response. She grabbed her jacket and went downstairs.

"I'll come back later." Emma said to her parents.

"Okay sweetie." Mary Margaret replied, not paying much attention to the dried tears on Emma's face. David didn't even respond, and Emma was feeling worse than earlier. They didn't really care about her. She bowed her head and finally closed the door behind her.

She walked towards Regina's house lost in thought, and if anyone noticed the strange behavior of hers, no one said anything, and much less no one tried to ask her what was wrong. On one hand, she was grateful because it allowed her tie to think and reflect but on the other hand, she needed to be distracted because if she was not, the self-loathing thoughts would manage a way to go further inside her mind.

Without really noticing, she was already on the porch of the mansion and was now seriously debating if she should go in or not. Deciding against the instincts that she learned when she was in in the system, finally she decided to knock on the door.

Emma didn't have to wait too long, since apparently Regina was already waiting for her. She was still in the trousers and suit but the brunette was lacking her characteristic heels. Emma still didn't understand how Regina was able to spend more than eight hours a day with those heels.

"Emma, are you okay? What happened?" Regina asked as soon as she saw Emma. She took the dried tears and Emma's posture, which made the strong woman seemed as defeated by life itself.

The brunette ushered the blonde inside and closed the door behind them, she guided Emma towards her study and sat next to the blonde on the couch. The scene reminded her of the first time she had met Emma, just that now she was no longer on the plan of killing the young woman but rather had an impulse to do whatever was in her hands to comfort and help Emma. Maybe it was because they had form some sort of friendship or maybe it was because of her huge crush on the other woman.

That's why she was sending her the anonymous letters. Emma hadn't mentioned them and she wasn't sure if the blonde had read them but a girl can dream that her feelings for the blonde might be returned once she reveals herself.

Emma was still silent, deep in thought and processing whatever had happened that prompted her to text the brunette if she could come over. She recognized in the texts some sort of vulnerability as well as insecurity, but for what, she wasn't completely sure.

"They want another baby." Emma finally broke the silence with those words that were merely above a whisper.

"What?" Regina asked, not knowing exactly who Emma was referring to..

"My parents. They want another baby, because I'm already grownup and not good enough for them." Emma said and the dam broke. She was wrecking her body with the sobs.

Regina immediately move to offer whatever comfort the other woman would accept. When she wrapped her arms around the younger woman, she felt how Emma turned in her spot so she was now nestled in Regina's arms, her tears leaving wet spots on Regina's shirt, not that Regina really cared about that.

She moved her hands on Emma's back, drawing soothing patterns in an attempt to calm her down.

In all honesty, Regina still didn't understand completely why Emma was feeling so devastated but she guessed it had to something to do with the insecurity she had noticed earlier in the texts.

They continued like this for what could have been hours but were only minutes. Emma's sobs broke and turned into a couple hiccups before she disentangles herself from Regina and started wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry." Emma apologized, what for, the brunette didn't know.

"What for Emma?" Regina asked.

"For coming here, for you having to deal with me being this mess." Emma took a deep breath. "For ruining your shirt." Emma added.

"Don't worry, I really don't care about the shirt, I care about you." Regina answered. "Do you want to talk about." Regina asked cautiously.

Emma gave an almost imperceptible nod. "They want to have a baby. They said that I'm all to grownup and that being parents was something they always wanted to experience."

Regina looked at her with wide eyes and anger sweeping through her. Those stupid idiots, how could they tell her daughter something like that? How could they make their daughter feel as if she was worthless?

"Did they seriously say that?" Regina asked and tried with all her might not to show any show any kind of anger.

"Yeah, they said they wanted a new chance. It was as if they didn't see me as their daughter. I thought I was, I thought that I was finally part of a family." Emma replied, allowing a few more sobs to come out.

"You're part of that family, they do see you as their daughter. Besides, you still have Henry who loves very much and…" Regina paused for a second. "You still have me." Regina added in a whisper.

Emma gave a weak but genuine smile.

"Maybe they should have known better to say it like that, because honestly dear they are just idiots sometimes, but they do see you as their daughter." Regina said.

"Yeah." Emma said weakly. "You know? Someone's been sending some letters, saying that they are in love with me and such. And today I received one, saying that they would try to make it happy and I don't see how they consider me worth it enough to go through all that effort." Emma said, not noticing that Regina's breath had hitched with the mention of the letters.

"I-I'm sure they'll have their reasons, but I don't see anything wrong with that." Regina stammered, while warmth spread through her system knowing that her letters had been received, read and appreciated.

"There's nothing wrong with the letters per se, the problem is that I don't know who this person is and when I find out, it's going to be very shitty to tell them that I can't be with them because I'm already in love with someone else." Emma answered and watched Regina closely, to see if she had any idea of whom the blonde was in love with. But all she saw was that Regina had bowed her head and when she lifted it, there was sadness written all over her face. Why would she be sad?

Regina recovered herself from that bomb. God, how could she had been so naïve? Why had she allowed herself to hope that the blonde would ever want to be with her? Realization swept through her. Regina had ruined Emma's chance to ever have a family; granted, she had one now but all those years when she needed her parents the most, Regina had denied that wish with some stupid will of revenge. She should feel grateful that the blonde considered her a friend.

"Oh, I see." Regina murmured. "I'm sure they'll understand." Regina said stiffly and Emma must have sensed that and thought that she had overstayed. Emma looked down, maybe she wasn't worth it, eventually everyone would get tired of her.

"I should get going. I'm sorry for coming here, I'm sorry for wasting your time." Emma said her goodbye, barely containing the tears that were threatening to spill. Without waiting for the brunette to respond, she walked to the front door and exited the house.

She went to to the loft and cried herself to sleep. All the insecurities she had been able to avoid in her time in Storybrooke were starting to resurface. She would now try to be the perfect daughter for her parents, even if they eventually kicked her out. Maybe she could be with them for a few months after the baby was born, whenever that was. Or maybe, she should start looking for a place for herself. She went into a restless sleep.

Next morning, she woke up earlier than usual so her parents didn't have to bother with making breakfast for her, she didn't want to be more of a burden than she was now. She drove in her bug to the Sheriff's station, trying to come up with ways in which she could be a better daughter.

The sight of an envelope on top of her desk interrupted her thoughts, and walked with a small smile to the envelope knowing that her Secret Admirer had written her something. Maybe she could be with this person, maybe she would learn to love them. She was thing of all the possibilities when she started reading the letter with her mouth agape.

_Emma,_

_I'm sorry I send you those letters. I didn't know you wanted to be with someone, because if I had known I would have helped you be with them and kept my feelings for myself. But I had to tell you, some way or another._

_I'm in love with you Emma Swan and I understand that you don't feel anything for me in that sense. I can be your friend, or whatever you need. I just hope that this confession doesn't scare you out and make things awkward because I don't want to lose you. But if you don't want to be my friend anymore, I'll completely understand._

_I really hope that you'll find your happy ending with this other person, even if that person isn't me. Because you deserve the world, the stars and everything in between._

_I'll always love you,_

_Regina Mills_

This couldn't be happening. There was no way that Regina freaking Mills loved her back. No, she must be dreaming because this is too good to be reread the letter at least three times before the words had finally sank in. Regina Mills loved her and she loved her back.

Immediately, she reached for the phone and marked the Mayor's office.

"Mayor's office, how can I help you?" Laura, Regina's secretary, answered on the other side of the line.

"Laura, it's Emma. Is the Mayor in her office?" Emma asked and hoped she didn't sound so desperate.

"Oh Sheriff, I'm sorry but she didn't come into work today. She said she didn't feel well and wouldn't be coming today." Laura answered and Emma slapped herself in her mind. The last thing she ever wanted was to cause any pain to Regina.

"Okay, thank you." Emma said and hung up, not bothering to hear the reply from the secretary.

It was then that she checked her phone to see if by any chance Regina had texted her something but what she saw was a text from Henry.

' _Ma, do you know what's wrong with mom?'_ The message read.

' _Don't worry Henry, I'm coming to check up on her.'_ Emma replied, hoping that it wouldn't worry Henry too much.

' _Has she told you about the letters?'_ Henry asked back.

Emma gave a sigh of relief, knowing that Henry already knew about this and that was actually okay with his moms being together.

' _Yes Henry, she told me. Don't worry, I'm going to the house right now.'_ She answered and put her phone in her pocket.

She practically ran to the Mayor's house, she knocked on the door and prayed that Regina would answer. She didn't have to wait much for the Mayor to open the door.

But the Regina that opened the door wasn't the Regina that she was used to. Gone were her suit pants and that perfect makeup and the heels. Instead, there was no makeup only red and puffy eyes, prove that she had been crying, she was wearing sweatpants and her hair was all tossed up.

"Emma, what are you doing here?" Regina asked in a shy and insecure voice.

"I called you secretary to ask if you were at your office but told me that you had taken the day off, so there's that. And I also wanted to talk to you about the letter from this morning." Emma said.

"I'm so sorry Emma. I didn't know that you wanted to be with someone. I don't want to lose you, but I understand that what I've told you changes completely our friendship." Regina said between tears. She took a deep breath. "However, I'll completely understand if you don't want to have any more contact with me besides work and working Henry's schedule." Regina added. She tried to appear as regal as possible, but she was not quite achieving that.

"There's just one little detail." Emma said and Regina started to get anxious of what the blonde could say.

"That the someone I want to be, is actually standing in front of me." Emma said and waited for Regina's reactions.

At first, Regina didn't quite actually understand what Emma had said and just stared at her in confusion. But then realization came over and was that Emma telling her that her feelings could actually be returned?

"Wh-What?" Regina stuttered. She must be dreaming because this was all too good to be true.

"I said, that the person I want to be with is standing right in front of me." Emma said with a confident grin.

"You want me? As in I want to be in a relationship with you?" Regina asked and Emma couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips at seeing Regina as one of those teenage girls in the movies.

"Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying." Emma said before her confidence faltered slightly. "Is it okay if I kiss you now?" Emma asked, not wanting to overstep any boundaries.

With mouth agape, still not completely what was happening, Regina gave a simple nod before Emma took a step closer until their forehead were touching. They were relishing in the feeling of being that close to each other.

Then, Emma pressed soft lips on to Regina's and Regina responded to the kiss, trying to convey all she felt in that moment.

Lips moved in synchronization, Emma moved a hand to the back of Regina's neck and pulled her a little bit closer, if it was even possible. Regina wrapped her hands around Emma's waist and she still couldn't believe this was happening. A little part of her told her that this wouldn't last, that Emma would wake up one day and realize that she was dating Regina and she would leave, leaving behind a heartbroken Regina but for now, she decided to enjoy the moment.

They parted breathlessly but stayed with their foreheads pressed together. They looked into each others eyes and all they could see was love and adoration coming from them.

"Emma, please tell me I'm not dreaming." Regina said in a little voice that Emma guessed sounded much like the innocent girl she had been before Daniel was killed.

"I promise you, this is not a dream. And if it was, I wouldn't want to wake up." Emma responded and straightened herself.

"Do you want to go in a date with me?" Emma asked with a hopeful smile on her face.

"Yes, I'd love to." Regina answered sincerely and with a smile that made Emma's heart melt.

"Nice, so tomorrow at 7." Emma said confidently.

"Perfect." Regina said with a warm smile before adding a way too much serious tone but certainly not joking. "As my job as your girlfriend, I have to protect you from anything and that incudes your parents."

Emma face grew anxious. "I know that you want to protect me, but really, I understand. I understand why they want another a baby. They want to have everything I couldn't give them." _Because I wasn't good_ enough. Emma added for herself, but the hurt was evident in her voice. Regina was not taking any of the bullshit the blonde was saying.

"Emma Swan, don't you ever think as if you're not good enough because you certainly are. You'll always be more than good enough for me and Henry, and don't you ever doubt that. Your mother always wanted to have as many children as possible so I understand from where this desire to have a baby is coming from, but neither she nor the idiot shepherd, sorry, your father, have the right to treat you as if you weren't their daughter." Regina told Emma, while the blonde tried not to shed the tears behind her eyes. She couldn't believe how she was so lucky that Regina loved her and defended her and protected her with all her being.

"So, whatever you want to do with your parents I'll support you throughout the whole process, but I strongly suggest you talk to them." Regina firmly stated and moved so that she could engulf Emma in a hug, while rubbing her hand up and down her back, trying to sooth the now crying woman.

Regina felt a slight nod against her shoulder before the blonde pulled back. "Will you be there with me?" Emma asked shyly. She didn't want to confront her parents alone, and if they didn't want her anymore, she wanted to be sure that Regina at least was there for her.

"Of course I will, but I don't promise that I won't send your parents a fireball in case they upset you or in case they insult you." Regina said, half teasing half saying the truth.

Emma chuckled. "Yeah, I know." Emma took a deep breath and allowed Regina to wipe her tears with her thumb.

Emma took her phone out of her jeans and sent a quick text to Mary Margaret to see if they had time to talk. Mary Margaret said yes, Regina poofed herself some clean clothes that resembled more the everyday Mayor's outfit and so, Emma and Regina walked, hand in hand, to the Charming's loft.

With every step, Regina felt Emma tense more and even though Regina tried to send the younger woman some comfort with her soothing circles on her hand, nothing was working. She tried to think of what she could say to calm the other woman but Emma broke the silence before she had a chance.

"What if…" Emma started. "What if they really don't see me as their daughter? What if all I've ever been is a burden? What if they tell that they are letting me stay there out of pity?"

Emma looked at Regina with fearful eyes and Regina cursed the Charmings one more time for making feel Emma like this.

"I thought I had finally found a home, that I would finally settle in after knowing what it's like to bounce from house to house not knowing how long you are going to stay there. But I guess I'll always be the little orphan who doesn't have a home because she's not good enough." Emma added before Regina could muster some kind of response and the brunette could actually swear she could feel her heart break at the blonde's words. Curse the Charmings one more time before forcing Emma to stop completely.

"Emma, please stop thinking like that. Your parents are a pair of idiots for not seeing how much this hurts you but I promise, even if all the possibilities you've listed result in being the truth, you'll still have a home with me and with Henry. I promise you're not a burden for us, because we love you." Regina said firmly and hoped that she had finally gotten through Emma's thick head.

"Really?" Emma asked hopeful.

"Yes, Emma really." Regina said and offered a reassuring smile.

They continued walking and finally they reached the Charming's loft. Emma knocked on the door and waited for Mary Margaret or David to open the door. Regina squeezed gently her hand in reassurance that she was there and she would always be there.

After a couple of minutes, Mary Margaret opened the door.

"Oh Emma, I didn't know you had gone out." Mary Margaret said, quite surprised at seeing Emma on the other side of the door. "Oh, hello Regina." Mary Margaret added after noticing someone else besides from Emma.

Emma bowed her head and tried to keep her tears from falling, while Regina was trying to suppress the urge to send a fireball directly into Mary Margaret but she abstained herself form doing it and just rolled her eyes.

"Can-Can I come in?" Emma stuttered and she was already acting as if this wasn't the place she had been living for the last two years. Regina cursed one more time the Charmings; she was sure that she had cursed them enough in her life-time as the Evil Queen but today was certainly a close second.

Mary Margaret stepped aside to allow them to come in, after which she closed the door. Emma and Regina moved to the couch in the living room, while Mary Margaret sat in the chair in front of them. Not long after, David joined them and he sat next to his wife.

"So, you said you wanted to talk to us well… What is it?" Mary Margaret asked, a little bit impatiently. She didn't know what was happening, especially because her former arch-nemesis was next to her daughter holding her hand and rubbing soft circles on it.

"I-I…" Emma tried to start but she couldn't find the right words. She gave a long sigh. "It's just that…" Emma tried to start again but once more words failed her.

Regina kept drawing soothing circles with her thumb on the back of Emma's hands, hoping that it could help the other woman try to organize her ideas and say exactly what she had in mind.

"Why am I not good enough?" Emma finally blurted out and couldn't help the tears that were now flowing with freedom.

"What?" Her parents asked at the same time, not completely understanding where this was coming from. Regina rolled her eyes, they were just too oblivious for their own good; if she had rolled her eyes any harder, she was sure her eyes would go all they way to the back of head.

"It's just that after you told me that you were going to try to have a baby, you made it sound as if I was no longer good enough, as if I wasn't your daughter and as if all you wanted to do was replace me. So, why am I not good enough?" Emma asked again, her voice threatening to crack.

"When did we say something like that?" David asked.

"The other day, at Granny's. You told me that you wanted to have another baby and I understand why you would but you didn't say 'another' you only said 'a baby' and it sounded like you didn't consider me your daughter." Emma explained as best as she could.

"Oh sweetheart, it's just that you're all grownup and we want to experience what having a baby is like." Mary Margaret said in her annoying condescending voice.

"Is it really that bad that I'm your daughter?" Emma asked, dreading the answer that was sure to come. Regina, for her part, all she wanted to do was to move to comfort her girlfriend and to shield her from any kind of pain but right now, all she could do was trying to convey all her feelings through soothing circles, she felt completely useless; also, the desire to throw several fireballs at the two idiots was becoming with each passing second more appealing.

"No, no, of course not but we really don't know how to treat our daughter that is the same age as us, we don't feel the parents-daughter relationship we should have." David said and Emma was now swallowing her sobs in order to be able to talk.

"Oh, okay. I'll go pack my stuff and I'll see myself out." Emma whispered and got herself up from the couch, letting go of Regina's hand and going as fast as she could to the bedroom upstairs to start packing. One more house where she was no longer wanted.

Meanwhile, Regina just stared at Emma's parents; if looks could kill, they would certainly be ten times dead by now. She stood up and practically yelled at the two persons in front of her.

"You two are a pair of complete idiots. How could you tell your own daughter something like that? Don't you know that Emma the only thing she has looked for was a home? That she has been looking for some parents to love her? That she allowed you behind her walls but now, all she thinks is that she'll never be good enough for anyone, because if her parents don't see her as that, who possibly could?" Regina yelled at them. "I love her and she won't allow herself to believe that because she thinks she's not worth it." Regina lowered her voice but it was still firm as ever.

Emma didn't take too long in packing her stuff. She was grateful that some habits from her time in the system have stayed, such as not unpacking too much because eventually she would be sent back.

When she came down with just a duffel bag, Regina's heart broke because even though Emma had though this was her home, deep down she thought that this wouldn't last. What made it even worse, was that Emma was right.

Regina moved towards Emma and wrapped her arms around her before both of them moved towards the door. Mary Margaret and David just stared at the couple, not exactly sure how things had escalated in just a couple of minutes.

"I'm sorry for not being who you wanted." Emma said in a small voice, just before she got out of the loft completely. Regina threw the Charmings one last glare before exiting and closing the door behind her.

"I'm going to stay at the inn at Granny's for a while, until I can find some place else. So, of course Henry will be staying with you and I can take him to school or whatever he wants." Emma murmured once they started walking on the street.

"You know you have a home with us don't you? At the mansion?" Regina asked, desperately hoping that Emma would stay with them. Not only Henry would have both of his mother in the same place but it would give them more time to be together after the big revelation earlier this morning.

"I-I don't want to be a burden, Regina. I know we admitted our feelings for each other this morning but one day you're going to realize that I'm not worth your love, so please make this a little bit easier for me." Emma answered with her head down.

"I'll never come to that realization because you are more than worth it, you're more than just enough, you're the person whom I want to spend my life with. Your parents are a bunch of idiots for not realizing the beautiful, gorgeous, intelligent, caring and loving daughter they have. But Me and Henry see this." Regina said lovingly. "We love you."

Emma looked at her, with a watery smile and tears in her eyes; but it was a genuine smile, one that said how grateful she was for having Regina by her side.

_1 year later_

Emma woke up with a strange feeling. That feeling that gets you when you know something big is going to happen but you can't exactly put your finger on it.

She tried to roll over to snuggle with her beautiful girlfriend but found nothing but cold sheets. Emma slowly was regaining consciousness and her mind was starter to wake up form slumber. It had been quite a few months since she was woken up alone in their bed and this sign, she was not sure how to take it.

However, when she finally was starting to get up, she noticed a sealed envelope, with the penmanship of no other than Regina Mills. Ever since Emma found out that Regina was her Secret Admirer, Regina had not ended this little tradition of sorts, leaving Emma every now and then a letter telling her how grateful she was for having her in her life, how she would always have a home with Henry and Regina and so many other beautiful things that made Emma forget everything that had happened with her parents.

So she opened the letter.

_Emma,_

_We've been together a year now but I feel like we know each other for a long time now and I couldn't be any happier that you're in my life._

_You've always seen as Regina, acknowledging my past but never holding it against me, heard my deepest desires, held me when I needed you there and allowed me to love you. That is so much than I deserve and I will be eternally grateful for it._

_I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Henry and maybe even expanding our family one day, I want to wake up every day seeing that beautiful soft smile of yours, I want to make love to you and show you every way I love you, I want to be there for you when you're feeling down and I want you to be…_

_Why don't you come downstairs and find out what I want you to be._

_With love, now and forever,_

_Your not-so Secret Admirer,_

_Regina Mills_

Emma could feel her heart beating loudly and butterflied in her stomach and her mind was going at a hundred miles per hour just at the though of the endless possibilities of what Regina was wanting to tell her. She got out of bed as fast as she could, still in her pajamas and with her hair all tousled up.

She practically run to the kitchen, where she knew her girlfriend but what she didn't expect to see was the kitchen covered from floor to ceiling in rose petals and Regina at the other side of it, holding something in her hands and with a small but nervous smile.

Emma stopped dead in her tracks, gasped loudly and took in the sight with her mouth agape.

She was pulled out of her trance when Regina spoke. "Did you read the letter?"

"Yeah…" Emma answered.

"As I wrote, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and do you want to find out how I'm planning to do just that and answer the last part of the letter?" Regina asked, and though she spoke with confidence, inside she was just a nervous wreck.

Emma could only nod as she didn't trust her mouth to let any coherent answer.

As she did, Regina sank to one knee while Emma covered her mouth in surprise and knowing exactly where this was going. Regina opened the little box that she had been holding in her hand, revealing a simple but beautiful silver band, with a sapphire in the middle surrounded by many little diamonds.

"Emma Swan, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Emma couldn't help the tears of happiness that rose in her eyes. The woman she loved with all her heart and being was now asking her to be her wife and spend the rest of her life with her and how could Emma say no to that?

Emma nodded, letting the sobs escape still without uttering a single word because she didn't trust herself not to ruin this perfect moment.

"Is-is that a yes?" Regina asked, uncertainty laced in her voice, seeing that Emma was openly crying but had nodded and she hoped that was the reassurance she need that she was doing and asking the right thing.

Emma again nodded and finally whispered a soft yes. Regina rose to her feet, took Emma's left hand and put the ring where it belongs. Emma extended her hand in admiration of the beautiful ring her girlf- no, her fiancée had chosen.

"I love you Regina Mills, and I more than gladly will spend the rest of my life with you." Emma's mind finally was able to connect with her mouth and form the words she desperately wanted Regina to hear.

Regina leaned and gave Emma a soft but loving kiss. Emma laced her arms around Regina's neck while Regina laced them around the blonde's waist.

The kiss was growing each time more heated.

"Where's Henry?" Emma whispered between kisses.

"At Nick's house." Regina answered.

Emma gave her a sultry and flirty smile, immediately followed by grabbing Regina's hand and leading her to their bedroom.

Yes, this is where home is.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think, and all kudos and comments are greatly appreciated :)
> 
> Here's the inspiration for the rings http://image.brilliantearth.com/media/gateway_page/sapphire-rings.jpg


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